Tutors- have you ever felt unsafe or uncomfortable

[Alphvet]

Hi
Just getting an idea of whether anyone has every felt unsafe or uncomfortable in a students home. I suppose this is more likely to happen with an adult learner .If so how did you deal with it, just not go back or walk out?

No, never, and I've been tutoring for over 12 years.

Can I ask whether you tutor in your own home or their home or elsewhere? What would you recommend?

Alphabet - both
Parents like you to come to them often as it means they can still be cooking tea/ looking after siblings but it is easier for me if they come here. I charge more for travelling to them.

Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Yes but only the once. I was newly qualified and tutoring a sixth former. Used to tutor at his house but it was in the dining room, completely shut off from the rest of the house.

I've found that in most cases, the family will be in and out but this boy's mum never wanted to interrupt. As a result, he was quite verbally inappropriate so I told his mum I wasn't prepared to continue if his attitude didn't change. She was very, 'oh boys will be boys' so I gave it up.

I have never experienced this either and have been a tutor for a long time. I tutor mostly very young children in their own homes. The most uncomfortable i have ever felt is when the nanny, housekeep etc have all disappeared on an errand without telling me and I find there is actually no other adult in the house! Obviously, I address this and it does not happen again. But I have never felt unsafe myself.

I only tutor up to GCSE and haven't had a problem. Have sometimes been asked to tutor in bedrooms, but really try and avoid this.

V interesting. I have just bailed out of an appointment. Nothing strange just a bad feeling in but it was an adult learner and unsure about other adults in the house. You’re always going to be more vulnerable with an adult compared with a busy family home aren’t you.

I teach children and adults (musical instruments)
I got a vibe from one adult and made sure my husband was around for the first (and last) session. Sure enough he was quite inappropriate at times and didn't really seem to want to learn.

So was not going to offer any more sessions but luckily didn't hear from him again anyway!

Yea I got that feeling of them not really wanting to learn. Really weird

I give tuition to teenagers, usually with no problems. But I once tutored a teenage girl living with her grandparents, who kept saying nasty things to her, as if she was a nuisance to them. This made me really uncomfortable.

Also I have occasionally asked teenagers to wear clothes instead of pyjamas, and one lad not to be bare-chested.